A major cause of environmental concern in the residential context revolves around hot water systems. The two most obvious concerns comprise water volume utilized and energy consumption in heating the water.
The first concern has a number of aspects. These include the very substantial overuse of a limited resource and the extra burden placed on treatment facilities for waste water.
In addition to the environmental concerns, heating of water for personal hygiene comprises a significant part of the cost of utilities for typical consumers.
While the proportional cost may be higher in the residential context, the same concerns apply in the industrial and institutional contexts.
The single largest consumer of hot water in the residential context, particularly where a family includes teenaged children, is the shower. Accordingly, anything that can be done to reduce water usage in the shower is of substantial benefit both in the environmental context and in the family budget context.
Against this background the present invention provides a means by which water usage in the shower may be substantially reduced.
Additionally, substantial reductions in soap packaging requirements can be achieved to thereby reduce waste.
An insert for a shower head is provided which allows, inter alia, soap to be dispensed directly into the water inlet stream. The amount of water consumed in "soaping up" can thus be very substantially reduced. As well, soap usage can be substantially reduced in comparison to commonly used bar soap.